79. HELEN KELLER: When one door closes

Yay, another Helen Keller quote. Here’s the first one I did. The fact that Keller became a famous optimist, despite being blind and deaf is something I still struggle to comprehend. If there was a Mt. Rushmore of most inspirational people in history, Keller would definitely be up there. Back in my old life I worked in the newspaper industry where I witnessed many friends forced to leave their jobs and take a redundancy. Some of them coped well, but a lot of them struggled with the news. This one’s for them.

– Helen Keller’s autobiography, The Story of my Life, can be downloaded for free at Project Gutenberg.

I want to take this opportunity to thank you with all of my heart for your inspirational work.

As a former fine art major, who many years ago decided the only artists who make any real money are dead ones, I made the decision to change paths and moved on to the land of technology and now find myself about sixteen years into the computer industry. In addition, as I have grown older and wiser, I have also begun the path as a Buddhist for now about seven years. Beyond all that, just this past month, I was encouraged to return to school I never finished towards advancing my career and helping my family to prosper in challenging times.

Your comics, including this one, have all been inspirational and a wonderful addition to my daily news reading habit.

Although I rarely pick up the pen & ink, paint brush, or sit before a wad of clay anymore, I now concentrate my creative efforts into inspiring and sparking the minds of my two young children. Without regrets, I cherish every opportunity to draw, paint and sculpt with, and for them.

All lengthy back-story aside, I want you to know what a fantastic and wonderful job you are doing at capturing the words of so many people that have done so much to make an effort towards keeping this planet a beautiful place.

I think that perhaps the reason Keller was such an optimist was because of her experiences. She was essentially a mind in isolation, and yet eventually after what must have been much frustration, anger and sadness she learned how to communicate, despite the impediments in her way. I can totally see how that would lead one to have an optimistic outlook.

Thanks again Gav, for another wonderful interpretation. Most of us start off our lives with some career path in mind, and, it rarely works the way we’d want it to be. In true Darwinian style, the one who ends up happy is the one that can adapt the best to the changing situations!
Hellen Keller is a truly inspiring person. I love this quote by her as well – “I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.”

This quote is misattributed to a lot of sources (most of them religious leaders, not surprisingly), so good on ya.

Helen Keller was an optimist, because she chose to be. Her major disabilities made that decision very easy, but in the end, it was her choice to keep living and explore what was there, rather than what was not… and will be forever remembered for her achievements and inimitable contributions to not only the blind and deaf, but all of us. (‘- ‘ )

What a great quote and a great cartoon you have made from it. I totally advocate volunteering no matter what your circumstance because it can really open doors as well as make huge differences to other people, animals and the environment. Travel and lifelong learning are two other great experiences we should all continue to do.

Thanks for this one! Totally inspirational; I’ll be sure to remember it. Reminds me of Katy Perry: ‘Maybe the reason why all the doors were closed so you could open one that leads into the perfect road’

Hey Gav,
Great one man!
It is funny how I got so used to receive your art (and visit the page) every couple of days. Same as a lot of people I have also found a great deal of inspiration not only on the quotes and in the wonderful drawings you produce, but also (and surprisingly) in my own life history… every time I read one of your e-mails.
Somehow they bring me back some good (and bad) moments I lived and remind me all the important steps I took to get to the peace of mind I am living now.
I recently bought one of your posters (57 Edmund Hillary) and have to say that the quality was impeccable!!! Thank you very much!!
All the best,
marcelo

Thank you for making this, I recently had a very big door of mine close, and this helps me cope with it.
On a lighter note, there is a Winnie the pooh quote I know that you might like to use sometime. “If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day So I will never have to live a without you.”

Dear Lord man, you’re a genius with a pencil (or mouse/CAD pen thingie, I suppose). I’m a teenager and whenever I feel down, I always come to your website. This is just one of the thousands of masterpieces on this site. Amazing work! 😀

I strongly prefer Dr. Sheldon Cooper’s words: “No it doesn’t. Not unless the two doors are connected by relays or there are motion sensors involved. Or if the first door closing creates a change of air pressure that acts upon the second door.” But I fully agree with the “it is not the end of the world” idea.

Gav, I really like your work. I truly do find the passages you use and art you add to be inspiring. But, as a finance graduate student, I don’t like how you *always* demonize business. I know you had a bad experience at your job. I have also had horrible bosses and horrible jobs, but I’ve also had wonderful bosses with whom I had true mutual respect. Layoffs, etc are an unfortunate part of business, but the purpose of a company is to maximize shareholder wealth, not employee utility (well-being). Plus, without businesses we would not be living in the amazing world in which we live. Just as this illustration shows, you must take advantage of life’s opportunities. You can’t just hope your boss or your company will do it for you. You have to do, like you did Gav, and make it happen. Keep up the good work.

You’re not alone in seeing that way at all. It would be nice to be able to do those things after being fired, but unless you want dig yourself into a deeper hole it just isn’t realistic for many people.

It would be nice to be able to just go on vacation or take classes after you’ve been fired, but most people don’t have the kind of money for that. Volunteering is nice too, but all the while your home is not being paid for and time is slipping away to find another job. I like the optimism, but the doors one should be entering in this example are other places of employment, as quickly as possible before your family has nowhere to live. That would be a productive message, though not an inspirational one admittedly. Love your work, but this one hit as fantasy for someone who has been in that situation before (sans “redundancy pay”). I WISH I had the money to go through those doors.

people call you inspiring, witty, smart, even philosophical and its all true however when i read your comics the word brave comes to mind. you say the things people think and know yet fear the outcome of saying it. on the outside looking in you are just a witty fellow who can draw yet the more i take in from your comics i feel inspired to take the level of individualism you share with us and share it with the world which i have learned can be terrifying but if its one thing all your comics have taught me id rather walk in the dark than sit in the light, thank you so much Gav

I just wanted to tell you that your comics are incredibly inspiring. Not only because of the quotes that you choose, but because you are able to reflect your humanity and sympathy through them.
You are able not only to speak your mind, but somehow speak our thoughts, the thoughts that we decide not to speak, but to enclose them as the little voice inside our heads.
The very same voice that we so often hear and at the very end we tell to ourselves “should have listened to myself”.
For that I cannot thank you enough.
For being human enough to care, for being true enough to yourself.
And I quote as you once did Marianne Williamson:
“As we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence actually liberates others.”

You’ve let me shine if just for a brief moment by observing your work. You and all of the authors you quote give me inspiration to write this words, the words in my poems and those that are born from my very core.
Thank you

It is also recommended that you ask some of your loved ones to see while you are rehearsing the way you present your groom’s mother wedding speech. They can assist you in enhancing your delivery by offering some constructive criticisms. While rehearsing your delivery, you also need to practice your walk towards the stage as well as the actions. Be very watchful on how you carry yourself next to a crowd. However, you should look relaxed and self-assured.

Another tip that you need to do is obtaining some small cards and jot down all the essential names. You can also create an outline of your mother of the groom speech to make it simpler for you to remember it. Just ensure that you just look at it discreetly when delivering your speech.

I think that perhaps the reason Keller was such an optimist was because of her experiences. She was essentially a mind in isolation, and yet eventually after what must have been much frustration, anger and sadness she learned how to communicate, despite the impediments in her way. I can totally see how that would lead one to have an optimistic outlook.